Tableware.



0. V. KEAN.

TABLEWARE. APPLICATION FLED MAR. 13| 19|]- ,238,150, Patented Aug. 28,191?.

ATTORNEY OTHO V. KEAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TABLEWARE.

Application led March 13, 1917.

To all whom t 'may concern: Bc it known that I, O'rno V. KEAN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Providence, in the county ofProvidence and `State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Tableware, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tableware and like articles, and with respectto its more specific features, to spoons and similar articles.

'.lhe object of the invention is to provide an article of the characterreferred to which may be composed partly of metal, as silver, and partlyof ceramic material, as china and which is relatively inexpensive tomake and both durable and strong.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specication, andwherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughoutthe several views,

Figure l is a plan view of a spoon embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in plan showing the separate elements of which thespoon may be composed.

The article illustrated comprises a blade a, and a handle 7o, the bladein the present instance being the bowl of a spoon. The wider, or bodyportion 1 of the handle is composed of ceramic material, as china, and

' a shank 2 of a different material as silver.

The shank may be made of a solid piece of silver or of a channel orother shaped piece, and is preferably a. separate piece both from theblade and the body portion of the handle. The ceramic body parts of boththe bowl and the handle are oined to the shank b v binder strips 3,preferably pieces of silver wire, which substantially encompass theedges of the ceramic body portions, as illustrated, the two ends 4, e ofthe wire being secured to the ends of the shank adj acent thereto.Preferably, these wires and the ceramic body portions are so arranged asto provide grooved connections between the edges of the ceramic bodyparts and the wires. In the embodiment illustrated, the wire is groovedon its inner face and the edges of the ceramic body portions lie inthese grooves, as shown by the dotted lines. rlhe ceramic portions,being relatively fragile `compared with the metallic portions, as

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Serial No. 154,475.

the shank and the binder strips, it is desirable to provide joints ofsubstantial character between the body portions and the shank,

so that they will not unduly bend or otherwise tend to cause fracture ofthe ceramic material. To this end, in the embodiment illustrated, theopposite ends of the shank are notched as at 5, 5 for the reception ofthe ends 4, 4lof the metallic binder strip, which ends may be secured inthe notches by any suitable solder. To strengthen the joint and at thesame time to conceal it and form a sightly article, strengtheningmembers are employed which overlie both the ceramic material and theportion of the shank adjacent thereto as well as the ends of the binderstrips. As illustrated, the strengthening members are metallic collars6, 6, which may be slipped over the shank before the same is assembledwith the body portion and binder strip, and these collars may be securedin place by suitable solder. Thus the strengthening members lie adjacentopposite faces of the ceramic material and, preferably, actually incontact with the ceramic material, so as to form a water tight jointwith and directly brace said material. After the parts have beenassembled and secured as eX- plained, the outer surfaces may be planedolf so as to provide the smooth appearance at the joint as apparent fromFig. l, or an ornamental eect may be secured if desired.

Thus by the above described construction is accomplished, among others,the object hereinbefo're referred to.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from 9 the scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and spe cific features ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1.

l. A spoon or like article comprising, in combination, a blade and ahandle, one of said parts comprising a body portion of ceramic material,a metallic shank between said body portion and the other part, ametallic binder strip substantially encompassing the edge of said bodyportion and secured to said shank, and a strengthening member overlyingboth said ceramic materal and the portion of the shank adjacent thereto.

2. A spoon or like article comprising, in combination, a blade and ahandle, one of said parts comprising av body portion of ceramicmaterial, a metallic shank between said body portion and the other part,a metallic binder strip substantially encompass ing the edge of saidbody portion and secured to said shank, and a strengthening memberoverlying both said ceramic material and the portion of the shankadjacent thereto on opposite faces of said ceramic material.

3. A spoon or like article comprising, in combination, a blade and ahandle, one of said parts comprising a body portion of ceramic material,a metallic shank between said body portion and the other part, a

metallic binder strip substantially encompassing the edge of said bodyportion and secured to said shank, and a strengthening member overlyingboth said ceramic material and the portion of the shank adjacent theretoand in contact with the ceramic material.

4f. A spoon or like article comprising, in combination, a. blade and ahandle, one of said parts comprising a body portion of ceramic material,an integral metallic binder strip substantially encompassing the edge ofthe ceramic material and having its ends secured to said shank, thebinder strip having grooyed connection with said edge of the ceramicmaterial, and a strengthening inember overlying both said ceramicmaterial and the connection between said shank and the ends of saidstrip.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of twoWitnesses.

OTH() V. KEAN.

`Witnesses MAURICE A. KELLEY, DANIEL W. SUNDERLAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, ID. C.

